Scheme will affect pass rushers DeMarcus Ware, Anthony Spencer

This is the first in a 13-part series examining key questions as team training camps get closer. Today's camp question: What to expect from the Dallas Cowboys’ new 4-3 defense? Tomorrow's camp question: What to expect from Miami Dolphins second-year quarterback Ryan Tannehill?

The Dallas Cowboys used to have one of the best outside linebacker combinations in the NFL. This season, they're hoping to have the league's top pair of pass-rushing ends.

DeMarcus Ware gives the Cowboys a premier pass rusher. (AP Photo)

Don't be confused. We're talking about the same two Pro Bowl edge defenders, DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer. They are just ready to wreak more havoc from their new position in a new alignment.

"When Spence and I played outside linebacker, the majority of time, we rushed the passer,” Ware said. “In this 4-3 scheme, we have a chance to make more plays. We like to run, and we're able to do that. I think it's going to be really effective for us."

Ware won't be worrying too much about what's behind hm. He will still be the same hard-charging player with his "hand in the dirt," and Spencer, brought back with his franchise-tag tender, has developed into a lot more than just a complementary sack artist.

Considering the Cowboys had been in a base 3-4 for the past eight seasons, their front-seven personnel sets them up for limited bumps as the transition takes full effect in training camp.

Ware and Spencer should still be the primary pass rushers as they were responsible for 22 1/2 of the team's 34 sacks in 2012. The 4-3 accomplishes the goal of maintaining their strength in that area, while also helping the team address the run defense issues that popped up last season by getting the duo more involved there.

The Cowboys plummeted from No. 7 vs. the run with Ryan in 2011 to No. 22 in '12, giving up 4.5 yards per carry last season. Part of that was attributed to losing linebacker Sean Lee to a toe injury in October. Lee, who will be the middle linebacker in the 4-3 defense and outside linebacker Bruce Carter have the range to read and react well for Kiffin’s defense.

The players on the spot up front will be defensive tackles Jay Ratliff and Jason Hatcher. They must push well upfield for the Cowboys to benefit most from the advantage Ware and Spencer give them on the edge.

Ryan was known for his desire to attack with reckless abandon. The Cowboys want to maintain the aggressive mode, but only with more discipline.

"There's no control when you're working to get to the quarterback and stop the run with just the front seven,” Ware said, when talking about the defense scheme “In the back, there's going to be a lot of moving around and disguising to get where we need to be.”

Given the few front-seven concerns, getting the secondary to come together well for the “Tampa 2” is Kiffin's biggest challenge. The talent is there, however, as Brandon Carr and second-year cornerback Morris Claiborne, who didn't quite fit with Ryan, have the tackling and zone-coverage skills to thrive under Kiffin. Again, the focus will be on the inside, where Kiffin is still sorting out the safety mix.

When the Cowboys blitzed last season and put pressure on their secondary, it didn't work. Their opponents' passer rating in those situations was 106.2, good for fourth worst in the league. Overall, the lack of consistent discipline on defense led to Dallas giving up 67 total plays (run and pass) that went for 20 yards of more.

The Cowboys have had a good run with the base 3-4 that Bill Parcells installed back in 2005, stamped by drafting Ware in the first round (11th overall) that year. But switching to a 4-3 goes back to Dallas' classic, championship past. With the talented players Kiffin inherited, it was a necessary move for the Cowboys to improve their chances of contending in the immediate future.